WORKERS have been “spotted” on the site of a half built flat-pack mini-village in Southend months after plans were put on pause in a bid to "preserve" the properties.

Developer Guinness revealed in June the development had been "paused" after project partner Ilke Homes plunged into administration. 

Meadow Grange was set to be an “exquisite collection” of 131 affordable flat-pack properties, 54 of which being “zero carbon”.

Back in June residents had claimed the developer had “sent out emails" to those who had reserved a property in Phase one "to say it’s been cancelled". 

Now a resident has told the Echo the developer has held "telephone conversations" with purchasers to update them on the future. 

They claim Guinness told them "some workmen are on site waterproofing the properties that are there in the hope to preserve them”.

It was also stated some houses have “now been rendered and others have waterproofing going up on the roofs”.

However, despite multiple requests by the Echo asking for an update from Guinness, it remained tight-lipped.

David Garston, councillor responsible for housing and planning, said he is aware of the situation with the project being “on pause”, but has “not learned anymore about it from Guinness”.

The York Press reported the North Yorkshire-based Ilke Homes reportedly told “hundreds of its staff to stay at home” as it searched for a buyer.

They pilled the blame on the issue-prone planning system and “volatile macro-economic conditions”.

But nothing was achieved, resulting in the firm’s collapse.

In a previous statement, Guinness said: “Construction at Meadow Grange has paused as of June 2023.

“We hope to resume as soon as possible.”

The mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes, made up of a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced properties, were all available to buy with shared ownership. 

This means the buyer could purchase a share between 10 and 75 per cent of the home’s full market value.

However, due to the works coming to a halt, the Meadow Grange section on their website has since been removed.